Aerial machine.



I. (5.1. 6L A. C. IVI. IVIEUGNIOT.

AERIAL MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV.27, 19H. 1,177,431 A Patented Mar. 28,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l. G. J. 6L A. C. M. MEUGNIOT.

AERIAL MAC-HINE APPLICATION FILED NOV.27| |911.

Patentd Mar. 28,1916.

1.6.1.6; A.. C. M. MEUGNIOT.

` AERIAL MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov.27, 1'911.

4 sHEETs-sHEET-a.'

Zigi l Patented Mar, 28, 1916.

J. 6.1. 6L A. CfNI. MEUGNIOT.

AERIAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.21. 191|.

Patented Mar. 28,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

JEAN GABRIEL JOSEPH-MEUGNIOT AND ANDR CHARLES MARIE MEUGNIOT, 0FARC-LES-GR-AY, FRANCE.

AERIAL MACHINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application led November 27, 1911. Serial No. 662,758.

similar machines in which two or more act-V ing surfaces are connectedtogether so that any displacement of one of the surfaces brought aboutby an air eddy or a similar cause brings about automatically thedisplacement of the other surfaces -in the same or in the oppositedirection.

It has for its object to increase the sensitiveness of such aeroplanesand similar machines, in order to make possible, with a view to insuringsteadiness of the latter, deformations or automatic relative movementsof the said surfaces under the action of disturbing forces acting onthem, and at the same time, to enable the same surfaces to be operatedby the pilot or by automatic apparatus, such as, for instance,clockwork, gyroscopes, etc., and on the other hand, to enable the saidmachines either to utilize the relative pulsations of the wind due tothe variations of the speed of the air, by following a wavy trajectory,and thus to obviate to a certain extent dangers to which the wind fromthe rear exposes the said machines, or to follow a rectilineartrajectory whatever be the disturbing forces acting on the saidsurfaces, without the pilot having to do anything whatsoever for thepurpose.

The invention chiefly consists in using, for obtaining parallel ordifferential vconnection of the active surfaces of the said Inachines,surfaces which are grouped in a pair or pairs of combined surfaces or ofcombined groups of surfaces, the said surfaces heilig constructedpreferably in a manner similar to the well-known flexible, Surfaces bypivoting the ribs of the said surfaces on the longitudinal member;further in using means suitable for connecting, in parallel ordifferentially each of the constituent elements of the said surface,such, for instance, as the. ribs, or only a certain number of the same,with the' corresponding element of the combined surface, the surfacesthus obtained being preferably arranged in a manner suitable forenabling them to be detached or folded alongside the body of the saidmachines; further, in combining with the said surfaces means suitablefor causing variations of incidence of two combined surfaces or of twocombined groups of surfaces to be produced by the pilot or by automaticapparatus such for instance as by clockwork, gyroscopes, etc., withoutaffecting or interfering with the double automatic movements of theconnected surfaces.

The invention consists, moreover, in using an automatically actingapparatus regulatingV the trajectory, acting under the action of thevariations of the component of the relative speed'of the air accordingto a direction suitable for actuating the controlling means subjected tothe action of the pilot, and which serves to modify the condition of theparts connecting together the movable separated parts of the surfaces,the

object being that the active surfaces may never be subjected to theaction of relative rear currents.

Embodiments of the invention, and of the various features thereof, areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a detail perspective view illustrating one method ofconnecting corresponding elements of the companion acting surfaces tomake possible automatic compensating deformations of these surfaces;Fig. 2 is 'a similar view illustrating a second method of connecting thesaid elements for the purpose stated; Fig. 3 is a similar viewillustrating a third method of connecting the said elements for thepurpose stated: Fig. 3a is a diagram illustrating details of theembodiment shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 4 is a detail Side elevation Showing apivotally mounted rib which forms a part of the skeleton of the actingsurfaces and connections applied thereto, according to the method shownin Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, partly broken away, showing theconnections illustrated in Fig. 3 in connection with a skeleton offoldable character; Fig. 6 is a View in a vertical plane illustrating adetail of construction comprehended in the arrangement shown in Fig. 3;Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an arlane" FiO. 13 is a ers)ective view showin v view of a device by which the speed of the air orpulsations in the wind may be utilized for governing the trajectory ofthe aeroa physical combination of a number of features illustrated inthe preceding gures;`

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an application of the deviceshown in Fig. l2 to the machine shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a diagramillustrating details of the embodiment shown in Fig. 13.

Similar charactersof reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

In the embodiments shown, the features ofthe invention are applied inconnection with the sustaining planes of the machine, the skeleton ofwhich includes ribs a and a member b transverse to the said ribs and to`which the latter are pivoted at their forward ends. The` deformationsof the acting surfaces. result from movements of 'these ribs and byconnecting corresponding ribs of the companion surfaces, operativecombinations are effected of corresponding zones or groups of zones ofsaid surfaces.

The connections shown in Fig. 1 comprise a pair of levers 1 whichnormally stand in approximately vertical position and are pivotedcentral-ly thereof to the body of the aeroplane. The levers 1 are shownas arl ranged in the rear of the planes and their ends, which arelocated at opposite sides of the extended planes of the acting surfacesA, are connected to the rear ends of the cor'- responding ribs of saidsurfaces by the cables 2. Links or equivalent connections 3 extendbetween the ends of the levers 1 and transmit movement therebetween. Thepivotal connection of the ribs a with thel member Z is sufficientlyloo-se vto enable said ribs tohave a lateral, as well as a pivotal,component of movement. It is obvious that if one of the ribs a'of oneacting surface be raised, consequent to Va deformation of the elementof. said surfaces with which said rib is associated, .by an air eddy,the corresponding rib of the other ,surface will be lowered, and in thisway the deformation of the firstnamed surface will be compensated. l

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, instead of nivoted levers 1,stationary posts 4 are employed. The posts l are supported by the bodyof the aeroplane, and at their upper and lower ends carry pulleys.- 5which serve as guides for upper and lower cables 6 and 7 respectively,connecting corresponding ribs a. In this case, as inthe preceding case,when one of the ribs a is raised. theicorre sponding connected ribislowered, and lvice versa. 4

In the construction shown in Figs.. 3, 3a and 4, longitudinal members bare arranged at each side of the aeroplane, about mid-way between' theends `of the ribs a. The mem bers b are carried by the body of theaeroplane, being suitably braced with relation to the members b, andextend through relatively deep slots in the ribs a. Said` members bsupport pulleys 8 which form guides Y for cables 6 and 7a, correspondingto the cables 6 and 7 respectively, the cables 6a having their endsconnected to the ribs a at the lower sides of the slots through whichthe members b extend and the cables 7- having their ends connected tothe ribsl a at the upper sides of'saidslots, (Fig. 3a). The number ofpairs of cables 6a and 7al employed, of course, correspond to the numberof pairs of corresponding ribs to be connected, and the pulleys 8 are soarranged that there is no liability of entanglement of these cables. bconverge outwardly withreference to the members Z), and the cables 6aandv 7@ are parallel to said members b. whereas in Fig.l

5,the members b and b', which are parallel, extend obliquely withreference to the longitudinal axis of the machine, and the cables 6a and7a are normal to said axis. The

cables 6a and 7a are arranged in the interior` oted ion vertical axes tothe members Zz..

This arrangement enables the said skeleton to be collapsed, as indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which condition the members b and b arefolded rearwardly toward the sides of the bo-dy of the machine, and, inconnection with the ribs a, define relatively fiat parallelograms.

Thus, in Fig. 3, the members As regards the shrouds for the longitudinalmembers b', reference is had to Fig. 6, which shows a shroud b2 arrangedbelow the member b and connect-ed at its ends to the outer end of themember b and to the body l -ofvthe aeroplane, the shroud b2 beinginclined downwardlytoward said body, and vertical shrouds b3 connectingthe members Z2 at intervals with the shroud b2. The shrouds b3 arearranged normal to the member b, and consequently, require merely smallapertures in the surfaces through which they pass. In all of theembodiments 13`0 described, a movement of a rib a in one directioncauses, through the agency of the connections referred to, acompensating movement in the opposite direction of the corresponding riba. In this way a deformation of a zone or element of one surface Aresults in van automatic compensating deformation of a correspondingzone or element of the companion surface.

Figs. 7 to 10 illustrateconnections of the character generallydescribed, in combination with means for producing deformations of thecorresponding elements or zones of the companion acting surfaces in thesame direction. Fig. 7 assumes the use of cables 6b and 7b,corresponding to the cables 6 and 7 and 6a and 7, referred to in thepreceding description. In this case, thecables 6b pass over guidepulleys 9, carried by the body of the aero-plane, and over a centralguide pulley 10, and the cables 7b pass over guide pulleys 11 and over acentral guide pulley 12. The pulleys 10 and 12 are mounted coaxiallyupon a common spindle 7c, and the cables 6b and 7 b pass in" rela- Ytively opposite directions about the respective pulleys 10 and 12. Thespindle is slidable vertically through an extended plane of itslongitudinal axis, being directed in such movement by'guides y' and maybe operated in such sliding movement by any suitable means. The slidingmovement of the spindle and therewith of the pulleys 10 and 12 resultsin one of the cables 6b or 7b, as the case may be, (in accordance withthe direction of sliding movement of the spindle 7u) having itseffective length increased, and the other cable having its effectivelength decreased. In this way movements of the connected correspondinglelements of the acting surfaces in the same direction are obtained. Yetthe arrangement does not interfere with the automatic deformations ofsaid corresponding elements in opposite directions, conseouent to thenatural disturbing influences. The construction shown in Figs. 8 to 10embodies the same principles of operation, and is applicable `where.,instead of the continuous cables` such as are employed in thearrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3, levers of the nature shown in Fig. 1are used. These levers. which are designated by the character 1n.correspo-nd to the levers 1 of Fig. 1. and are connected by cables 2a,co-rresponding to the cables 2 of Fig. 1, to the ribs a. The cables 2aare arranged symmetrically with reference to the pivots 13 of the levers1", and the latter are preferablv extended beyond the upper cables 2a,and at their ends are pivotally connected to links 14. The links 14 arepivoted to one another. and their mutual pivot serves also to join alink 15. which connects the links 1-1, and a slidable operating member16.

16 and of the levers 1a,

Fig. 8 shows the normal relation of. the parts. It will be obvious thatsliding movements of the member 16 will result in movements of thelevers 1a in opposite directions, and consequently, in deformations inthe same direction of the corresponding connected elements of thecompanio-n planes. illustrates such movements of the member However, thearrangement permits of automatic deformations of the companionconnectedelements of the planes in opposite directions, as already described.Thus, Fig. 9 shows the lever laL at the left, as being pulled by theupper cable 2, and the lever 111 at the right,

as having a similar movement in the same direction, and in this way, theoperations set forth in connection with the description of theconstruction shown in Fig. 1 are achieved. The device for causingsimultaneous deformations inthe same direction of the connected elementsmay be operated either by the aviator or by automatic apparatus, such,for example, as clockwork, gy-

roscopes, etc.

Fig. 11 shows anarrangement wherein levers l", similar to the levers 1of Fig. 1, and cables 2b, similar to the cables 2 of Fig. 1, areemployed, and wherein provision is made for modifying the incidence ofthe two 4 connected elements of the companion surfaces. In this case,the levers 1b are connected by a link 17 which is pivoted to said leversand which also has a slidable connection with one of the said levers. Asshown, the link 17 is slidably connected to the lever 1b at the right ofthe drawing, and by moving the slidable pivotal connections of all thelinks 17 to similar positions alo-ng the levers 1", on which saidconnections are mounted, variations of the relative inclination of thecompanion acting surfaces may be obtained. In this Way the connectionsmay be operated to enable the equilibrium of the machine to` berestablished after it the capacity of the normal compensating action ofsaid connections, such, for example, as the shifting of the load.Various other arrangements may be employed to obtain variations of therelative inclination of the two companion surfaces. Thus, in theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, one of the links 14 may havea slidable pivotal connection with its corresponding lever 1a, or, asshown in Fig. 13, the result stated may be achieved by varying thepivots of the levers 1c at one side of the machine.

Fig. 12 illustrates a device which enables the pulsations of the wind tobe utilized in causing the machine to follow a trajectory of determinedcharacter. This device may conveniently comprise a slidable rod 18,working in a bearing 19 -which is carried by the body of the aeroplane,and having at its Fig. 1o

' has been disturbed by an iniuence exceeding end relatively largeplates 20 and 21 to receive the force of the wind pulsations. 'Ihe rod18 is held in normal relation by springs 22, and is operativelyconnected 'to the means for causing deformations of' the correspondingelements of the companion acting surfaces, such means being illustratedin Figs. 8 to 10. The vconnections between the device shown in Fig. 12and the said operating meanspreferably comprises a control gear of theBowden type (which, as is well known, consists of`a flexible pipe and awire or cable passing through the same), suitable for moving controlparts, such as the spindle c of Fig. 7, or the slidable member 16 ofFigs. 8 to 10, or the slidable pivotal connection of the link 17, ofFig. 11. The flexible pipe of the Bowden gearing will have its endsconnected to the respective frames of the controlling element and thedevice to be controlled and the wire of said gcaring'which paes throughsaid pipe connects the controlling element and the device to becontrolled. Vv'ith such a transmissionarrangement no action is exertedon the wire when the pipe is moved consequent to a modiiication o therelative positions of the two `frames to which the ends of the pipeareconnected. The Bowden gearing employed will include elements which willenable the character of the trajectory to be determined; that is to say,which will enable an increasev of the pressure of air on the plate 21 tocause an increase-of the incidence of the acting surfaces, or, on theother hand,

to enable an increase of the pressure of air on the plate 2l to cause adecrease of the said incidence. In the irst case, if a Adecrease inpressure occurs on the front plate 21, a decrease of the incidence ofthe bearing surfaces is produced, and the aeroplane can thus gain speedand momentum as it offers a smaller resistance to the advance. As soonas the plate 21 is exposed to an increase of pressure, the incidence ofthe bearing` surfaces increases, and the aeroplane eXpends its excess ofmomentum by utilizing the increase of its relative speed, and rises. Ifthe plate 20 is exposed to an increase of `wind pressure, which mightoccur in the case of a gust of Wind from the rear, the incidence of thebearing surfaces decreases, and can even'become negative, and theaeroplane, as is also the case when the front plate 21 is subjected to adecrease of the pressure of air, gains an increase of relative speed, towhich is added the speed of fall, due to an increase of the incidence ofthe bearingV surfaces. IVhen the pressure in the direction opposite tothat of the travel of the aeroplane becomes normal, the incidence of thebearing surfaces assumes its normal value, and the aeroplane utilizesits increase of relative speed previously acquired, in ascending Hight.Thus, the pulsations of the wind are utilized to cause the aeroplane tofollow a wavy trajectory. In the second case, that is, 1n the case 1nwhichan increase in the pressure of the air on the front plate vlpresent a concave surface to the wind, for

the purpose of rendering them sensitive and responsive.-

Figs. 13 and 4111@ illustrate a construction wherein connections of thegeneral character shown in Figs. 3 'and -l are/'combined with anoperating means of the character shown in Figs. S to 10 andwith anarrangement for enabling variations of the relative inclination of thecompanion acting surfaces. In this case. reference being had to Fig. 13,the cables 6d and 7d correspond to the cables 6a and 7a of Fig. 3 andlevers 1c correspond to the levers 1n of Figs. 8 to 10. The cables 6dand 7d are connected to the levers 1, respectively, at points above andbelow `the pivots of said `levers and are trained `over pulleys carriedby members b1 which are precisely similar to the members b1 shown inFig. 3 and which pass 'through slots in the ribs a. The cables 6d areconnected to` the lower walls of the slots through which the members b1extend and the cables 7d are connected to the upper walls of said slots.There is a group of cables 6d and 7l at the right side of the aeroplanewhich are at-V 1mi tached to the right hand group` of levers 1c andthere is a similar group of cables 6d and 7 d at the left side of theaeroplane which are attached to the left-hand group of levers 1.

The levers 1c are connected in pairs by links 10m 14,' joined to theupper end of said levers and also connected, at their mutual pivots,

Aby the links 15, t0 the slidable member 16,

responding connected. elements of the com- 115' panion planes. However,the arrangement permitsmf automatic deformations of the companionconnected elements of the planes in opposite directions, as alreadydescribed.

Fig. 13 also shows an alternative form of 13.,

means for obtaining variations of the relative inclination of thecompanion acting surfaces. In this case. the pivot of the levers 1, atthe right of the machine, consists 4of a rod 23, which passes throughvertical slots 12a .i

in said levers and is vertically adjustable. The support for this rodcomprises a yoke 24, which is raised and lowered by a lever system 25.0bviously, by moving thetrod 23 to different positions in the slots ofthe 130 It will be obvious illos levers 1c, for which said rod forms apivot,

` corresponding variations of the relative inclination of the twocompanion surfaces may be cbtained.

Fig. 14 illustrates an application of the device shown in Fig. 12,according to which a link elelnent of the lever system 16a (Fig. 13) ispivotally connected to a cross-bar 16b and inasmuch as said lever systemmust be under the control of the aviator, notwithstanding that it maybeoperated by the' device of Fig. 12, one end of the cross-bar isconnected by means of a link 16c to a lever 16d, for convenience, termedthe pilot lever. The other end of the cross-bar 16b is connected by alink 16f to a post 16g on the rod 18. V'Vhe'n the lever system 16a isoperated by the wind actuated device, the cross-bar 16b turns about itspivotal connection with the link 1Gc and the pilot lever 16d is lockedagainst movement. On the other hand, when the lever system 16a isoperated by the pilot lever 16d, the rod 16" turns about its pivotalconnection with the link 16t and said link is locked. Any suitable meansmay be provided for locking the lever 16d or the link 16f, as the casemay be. The link 1ot is movable through a locking device 16l1 which isonly shown conventionally. The lever 16cl is movable ,with relation to anotched quadrant 16i and carries the usual locking rod for coperationwith said quadrant. It is preferred to connect the operating arm 16k forthis 4locking rod by means of a flexible shaft 16j to the locking`device 16h whereby when the arm 16k is operated to lock the lever 16dto its quadrant, the link 16f will be free to move through the device16h, 'but when the arm 16k is operated-to unlock the lever 16d, thedevice 16h will lock the link 161 It will be understood that there issuliicient loose play in the connections of the `lever system 16atoprovide for its operative movement consequent to the movement of thecross-bar 16".

Having fully described our invention, We claim:

1. An aeroplane having each of its companion acting surfaces made up ofindividually displaceable elements arranged in transverse juxtapositionand connections between corresponding elements of said surfaces wherebya displacement of one element in either direction by an air eddy will bepositively transmitted to the corresponding element of the other surfaceto produce a compensating displacement thereof.

2. An aeroplane having the skeletons of its companion acting surfacesmade up of parallel pivotally mounted ribs which divide said surfacesinto a number of individually displaceable elements and connectionsbetween corresponding ribs of said surfaces.

whereby a displacement of one element in either direction by an air eddywill be posinguiding said cables.

tively transmitted to the corresponding element of the other surface toproduce a compensating displacement thereof.

3. An aeroplane having the skeletons of its companion acting surfacesmade up of parallel pivotally mounted ribs which divide said surfacesinto a number of individually displaceable elements and connectionsbetween corresponding ribs of said surfaces whereby a displacement ofone element by an air eddy will produce a compensating displacementofthe corresponding element of the other surface, the connectionsincluding upper and lower cables, and means for 4. An aeroplanehavingthe skeletons of its companion acting surfaces made upof parallelpivotally mounted ribs which divide said surfaces into a number ofindividually displaceable elements and connections between correspondingribs of said surfaces whereby a displacement of one element by an aireddy will produce a compensating displacement of the correspondingelement of the other surface, lthe ribs being slotted and theconnections including upper and lower cables which pass through theslots, and members also passing through the slots and carrying guidepulleys for said cables.

5. An aeroplane having its companion acting surfaces made up ofindividually displaceable elements, connections between correspondingelements of said surfaces whereby a displacement of one element ineither direction by an air eddy will be positively transmitted to thecorresponding element of the other surface to produce a compensatingdisplacement thereof, and means for operating said connections toproduce simultaneous displacements in the same direction of thecorresponding connected velements.

6. An, aeroplane having its companion acting surfaces made up ofindividually displaceable elements, connections between correspondingelements of said surfaces whereby a displacement of one element ineither direction by an air eddy will be positively transmitted to thecorresponding element of the other surface to produce a compensatingdisplacement thereof, operating means for causing said co-nnections toproduce displacements of the corresponding elements, and a deviceinfluenced b v variations in the wind pressure for controlling theaction of said operating means.

7. An aeroplane having its companion acting surfaces made up ofindividually displaceable elements, connections-between correspondingelements of said surfaces whereby a displacement of one element by anair eddy will produce a compensating displacement of the correspondingelement of the other surface, operating means for causing saidconnections to produce displacements of the corresponding elements, anda device influenced by variations in the Wind pressure for controllingthe action of said operating means, the device comprising a slidablemember having plates at the ends thereof to receive the force of theWind and springs for holding said member in a normal position.

8. An aeroplane having the skeletons of its companion acting surfacesmade up of parallel ribs, members located at the front of the aeroplaneand to which the ribs are piroted for universal movement, the membersbeing pivoted to the body of the aeroplane to fold rearwardly towardsaid body,

the ribs dividing the acting surfaces of the aeroplane into a number ofindividually displaceable elements, connectlons between correspondmgribs of said surfaces whereby a nections including upper and lowercables` which pass through the slots, and members also passingthroughthe slots and carrying guide pulleys for said cables, the last-named`members being pivoted to the body of lthe aeroplane andl beingfolda'ble rearwardly to- Ward said body.

- In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JEAN GABRIEL JOSEPHr MEUGNIOT.

ANDR CHARLES MARIE MEUGNIOT.; Witnesses H. C. CoXE,

PAU-L BLUM.

